1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a facsimile device, and more particularly relates to a method of specifying a transmission method carried out by a facsimile device having a communication function to exchange image information with another party through a telephone line network and a computer communication network by following a certain facsimile transmission procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related-art facsimile device exchanges image information with another party through a telephone line network by following a certain facsimile transmission procedure. In detail, a facsimile device (a transmitter) on an information transmitting side exchanges information about device after exchanging information about device capabilities with a facsimile device (a receiver) on an information receiving side, and, then, transmits image information to the receiver by using a main scanning size, a resolution, an encoding method and colors (black and white, or colors) that are receivable by the receiver.
In recent years, a facsimile device has been in practical use that has a function to transmit or receive image information through a computer network such as a local area network (LAN) and the Internet. Facsimile communication methods through the computer network are, for instance, a “STORE AND FORWARD” type (an electronic-mail type) defined in the ITU-T T.37 recommendation and a “REAL TIME” type (a real-time type) defined in the ITU-T T.38 recommendation.
According to the electronic-mail type facsimile communication method, image information is transmitted as a file attached to electronic mail. On the other hand, according to the real-time type facsimile communication, the transmitter exchanges information about device capabilities with the receiver, transmits image information, and confirms a delivery to the receiver while the transmitter is connected to the receiver through the computer network similarly to the facsimile communication through the telephone line network.
The facsimile communication through the telephone line network has advantages over the facsimile communication through the computer network in terms of security, reliability and immediateness, but has a high communication cost as its disadvantage. On the other hand, the facsimile communication through the computer network also has an advantage over the facsimile communication through the telephone line network, in which a communication cost of the facsimile communication through the computer network is cheaper than that of the facsimile communication through the telephone line network. However, the facsimile communication through the computer network has certain disadvantages in terms of the security, reliability, and immediateness.
The real-time type facsimile communication through the computer network has advantages over the electronic-mail type facsimile communication through the computer network, because the real-time facsimile communication enables optimization on a paper size, a resolution and a method of encoding image information, and immediate confirmation on image-information transmission. However, many facsimile devices do not still have a real-time type communication capabilities. In addition, the real-time type facsimile communication has certain disadvantages having a possibility that communication between the transmitter and the receiver fails because image information transmitted from the transmitter cannot pass through a network firewall located on the receiver's side. Furthermore, the real-time type facsimile communication has a possibility that communication between the transmitter and the receiver fails because of a delay problem in a response from the receiver, since a server and the like exist between the transmitter and the receiver.
A transmission through either the telephone line network or the computer network is determined by an operator for a related-art facsimile device that can communicate through both of the telephone line network and the computer network. However, it is a troublesome to select one of the telephone line network and the computer work for transmitting image information by the operator. Additionally, every advantage of the related-art facsimile device cannot be utilized occasionally because of the operator selecting one of the telephone line network and the computer network.
In related-art technologies, facsimile devices that can communicate through both a telephone line network and a computer network are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Applications No. 10-65866, No. 10-107938, No. 10-243019, and No. 11-215338.
A facsimile device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-65866 is connectable to both a telephone line network and a computer network, and includes a telephone-number conversion table, to which a plurality of groups are registered, each group including a destination number of the other party (a destination) on the telephone line network and a destination address of the other party on the computer network. If a specified destination number of the other party is registered in the telephone-number conversion table in a case of transmitting image information to the other party, the facsimile device obtains a destination address corresponding to the specified destination number from the telephone-number conversion table, and transmits the image information to the destination address through the computer network.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-107938 discloses an image transmission system and a server used in the image transmission system. The image transmission system is a system forming a computer network, and connecting each terminal device on the computer network through the server. A terminal device (a transmitting terminal) on an image transmitting side connects to the computer network through a server including the transmitting terminal, and specifies a terminal device (a receiving terminal) on an image receiving side. The receiving terminal is connected to the computer network through a server including the receiving terminal. Subsequently, the transmitting terminal transmits image data by using a format appropriate for the computer network to the receiving terminal. The receiving terminal reproduces an image from the image data received through the computer network.
Additionally, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-243019 discloses a data communication device connectable to a telephone line network and a computer network, and including a registering unit that registers groups of a destination number of the other party on the telephone line network and a destination address of the other party on the computer network. In a case in which a destination registered in the registering unit is specified for transmitting data, the data communication device performs communication through the telephone line network in a direct transmission mode, and communication through the computer network in a memory transmission mode. Alternatively, the data communication device performs communication through the computer network in a half-tone mode, and communication through the telephone line network in a text mode. Alternatively, the data communication device performs communication through the computer network if a communication size of information to be transmitted is large, and performs communication through the telephone line network if the communication size is small. Alternatively, the data communication device performs communication through the computer network if a requested time for ending communication is short, and performs communication through the telephone line network if the requested time is long. Additionally, the data communication device communicates through the telephone line network instead of the computer network if communication through the computer network is failed.
Additionally, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 11-215338 discloses a facsimile device connectable to a telephone line network and a computer network. The facsimile device is capable of registering groups of a destination number of the other party on the telephone line network and a destination address of the other party on the computer network. In addition, the facsimile device at each destination having registered its destination number and destination address can register priority information indicating a priority order of the destination number and the destination address. The facsimile device decides a transmission method by use of the priority information in a case of transmitting data to the destination having registered both of its destination number and destination address. The facsimile device also displays the priority information registered at the destination in a case in which the destination having registered both of its destination number and destination address is selected, and has means for changing the priority information before transmitting data to the destination.
Additionally, a facsimile device designed previously by the applicant of the present invention includes a facsimile-communication control unit, an electronic-mail communication control unit, a real-time network communication control unit, and a destination table. The facsimile communication control unit transmits image information through a telephone line network. The electronic-mail communication control unit transmits the image information by using a format of electronic mail through a computer network. The real-time network communication control unit transmits the image information while being connected to the other party through the computer network. The facsimile device registers, in the destination table, a group of a destination number dialed through the telephone line network and a destination address connected through the computer network, for each destination.
The facsimile device initially transmits the image information through the computer network by use of the real-time network communication control unit in a case in which both a destination number and a destination address are registered in the destination table for a destination specified by a transmission operation. If the transmission of the image information through the computer network by use of the real-time network communication control unit is failed, the facsimile device selects the facsimile-communication control unit or the electronic-mail communication control unit for transmitting the image information, according to a resolution of reading a document. Alternatively, if the transmission of the image information through the computer network by use of the real-time network communication control unit is failed, the facsimile device selects the facsimile-communication control unit or the electronic-mail communication control unit for transmitting the image information, according to a document size.
The above-described facsimile device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-65866 transmits the image information through the telephone line network if the communication through the computer network is failed. However, this facsimile device cannot switch its communication method between the electronic-mail type and the real-time type, in accordance with a user's request.
Additionally, the image transmission system disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-107938 enables the real-time facsimile communication through the computer network, but cannot switch its facsimile communication method between the real-time type and the electronic-mail type, in accordance with a user's request.
Additionally, the data communication device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 10-243019 cannot use the real-time facsimile communication efficiently, and cannot switch its facsimile communication method between the real-time type and the electronic-mail type, in accordance with a user's request.
Additionally, the facsimile device disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 11-215338 cannot switch its facsimile communication method between the real-time type and the electronic-mail type, in accordance with a user's request.
Additionally, the facsimile device designed previously by the applicant of the present invention initially transmits the image information to the destination address through the computer network by use of the real-time network communication control unit. Thus, the facsimile device cannot initially select an electronic-mail communication using the electronic-mail communication control unit, if it is known that a facsimile device at the destination does not correspond to real-time network communication. Consequently, the facsimile device wastes electricity and time, as well as increases a network load.